XV, 4 
Oshima: Formosan Termites 
341 
Experiment J. — In order to confirm the results obtained in 
experiment 3, Coptotermes formosanus in captivity in the special 
tube was fed with cotton wool, which is pure cellulose. It was 
observed that it lives more actively than when soft woods are 
given as food, perforating and eating the cotton wool. 
As a result of the above experiments the following facts were 
found: 
1. The principal food of Coptotermes formosanus is cellulose. 
2. Coptotermes formosanus decomposes lignocellulose into cellulose and 
noncellulose, namely, lignin, and builds its nest with the latter. 
3. Cellulose is the principal constituent of the cell walls of plant tissue. 
Therefore, almost all sorts of wood are attacked by Coptotermes 
formosanus. 
4. Paper, wood pulps, books, and cotton wool are liable to be attacked, 
because they consist of pure cellulose. 
5. According to a statement of Thomas E. Snyder, Leucotermes flaviceps, 
the commonest termite in the United States, also attacks books, 
wood pulp, pasteboard, and rolls of cloth very seriously. This 
seems to indicate that cellulose may be the principal food of the 
majority of termites. 
TERMITE-PROOF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 
Serious damage to the Japanese buildings in Formosa is due 
to the Japanese timbers that are used as the principal building 
materials; namely, pine and cryptomeria. They are most liable 
to damage, because they contain a large amount of cellulose in 
comparison with other timbers, as shown in Table VII. 
Table VII.— The amount of cellulose and noncellulose contained in various 
timbers. 
1 
Cellulose. 
Non cel- 
lulose. 
Per cent. 
29. 19 
Per cent. 
48. 08 
39. 47 
34. 30 
43. 12 
38. 16 
49. 07 
27. 91 
50. 29 
25. 13 | 
51.39 
22 69 ' 
Pine (spring wood) 
53.33 
21.77 ! 
When Japan occupied Formosa, Japanese architects had had 
no experience in regard to methods of preventing the damage 
caused by termites. Therefore, they erected buildings there just 
as in the mother country, paying no attention to the termite. 
This is another reason for the serious damage, for Japanese 
buildings are not suited to the Tropics. They rather attract the 
