Black willow (_Salix nigra_, Marsh.). This species of black willow was
used by the Menomini, Winnebago, Michigan Ottawa, and Ojibway Indians
in the manufacture of bags, pouches, fish nets, and cord. A Menomini
bag (MAIHF 8-1136) and a similar Winnebago bag (AMNH 50.1-903) contain
black willow fiber. A Micmac fish spear (AMNH 50-4754) is wrapped with
black willow twine. In the preparation of black willow fiber the bark
was obviously stripped from the tree. Then the inner white bast tissue
was removed and boiled in wood ashes; finally, this bast was pounded
and rubbed to remove all the cementitious materials and loosen the
fibers so they could be arranged more or less parallel to each other
for twisting or spinning. In none of the specimens examined were crude
strips of the inner bark used without preliminary treatment.