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Oshima: Formosan Termites 
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sanus. It is necessary, therefore, to provide ventilation holes 
and skylights for inclosed spaces, such as underparts of floors 
or inner parts of roofs. 
In the case of storehouses or other special buildings the 
termite-proof concrete layer may be directly used as the first 
floor, as shown in Plate XII, fig. 1 ; but in ordinary houses the 
first floor should be raised about 3 feet (about 1 meter) above 
the concrete layer, by means of brick walls and brick supports. 
Two methods are adopted for constructing the first floor : a, the 
external parts of the building are entirely surrounded with 
brick walls about 3 feet (about 1 meter) high, which are provided 
with square ventilation holes, 2 by 1.2 feet (about 0.6 by 0.4 
meter), situated 6 feet (about 2 meters) apart; the floor rests 
upon square brick supporters (text fig. 2 ; Plate XIII, figs. 1 to 5) ; 
b, the floor is placed upon brick arches as shown in Plate XII, 
fig. 2. Even in wood construction the present method is adopted, 
all woodwork being placed upon brick supports. 
The advantages of this construction are as follows: None of 
the woodwork is in contact with the ground; the basement of 
the building is always kept dry and clean ; the ample light makes 
inspection easy; and it is effective in keeping the building free 
from rats and mice, which are the propagators of the plague. 
Second floor; brick building . — The second floor is constructed 
of reenforced concrete just like the concrete layer on the ground 
level, making a continuous plane. Its edges are extended to 
the external part of the walls, instead of being partially inserted 
into the brick walls as shown in Plate XIII, fig. 1. The upper 
and the lower surfaces of the layer are covered with cement 
mortar, and all the crevices, even the holes made for gas and 
water pipes, etc., are carefully filled. Brick walls arid parti- 
tions on the second floor should be absolutely disconnected from 
those of the lower floor in order to confine any damage to a 
limited area. In addition a number of ventilation holes or 
windows are made through the external walls to expose to the 
light the inclosed space between the second floor and the ceiling 
of the lower story (Plate XIII, figs. 2 and 3). 
Second floor; wood construction . — The distance between the 
beams of the second floor and the ceiling of the lower story 
is somewhat extended, and several ventilation holes or windows 
are made in the external walls to allow sufficient light to enter 
the interspace (Plate XIII, fig. 5). 
Roofs . — Both in brick and wooden buildings the inside of 
the roof is usually dark and contains a lot of timber, thus render- 
