THE FIBER PRODUCTS OF THE FARM 163 
oughly. Thereafter, at any time after soaking in water, the 
soft inner strands separate readily. Another fiber of unique 
sort is found in the skeleton cords of the rootstock of bracken 
fern. These may be separated from freshly dug rhizomes, by 
breaking with a hammer and stripping the cords clean. 
The program of work for this study may consist of: 
z. An examination of the fibers used in the nest-building 
of birds and animals. 
2. An examination of the fiber products collected and 
prepared from native plants and animals, and comparisons 
with the fibers that are used in staple commercial products, 
such as ropes, yarns and twines. The actual use of some of 
these fiber products in spinning and weaving may be demon- 
strated, preferably with the simplest forms of apparatus, 
and products made therefrom may be shown. 
The record of this study may consist of: 
1. Noteson the kinds and character, and diagrams of the 
use, of fibers used by birds and animals in nest-building. 
Each species of bird or animal should be treated separately. 
2. An annotated list of all the native fibers studied. The 
notes should state the source and nature of the fibers, their 
length, strength and other qualities, their uses and limita- 
tions, etc. 
Another study on the coarse unspun materials for Platting, 
Mat-making and Basketry, may be made on similar lines, with 
similar lists of materials for its record. The things needed 
for this will be splints, withes, rods, reeds, sweet-grass, 
rushes, corn-husks, quills, thongs, etc. Suggestions may be 
had from the study of nests of birds and animals, and of the 
primitive products of the Indians of our own region. On 
the latter, The Handbook of North American Indians edited 
by Dr. F. W. Hodge (Bull. 30, Bureau of Amer. Ethnology, 
2 vols. Washington, 1912) is a mine of information. 
