Mulberry wood for a bow. Mulberries were a preferred wood for bow-making of the Apache and Comanche, being considered second only to bois d'arc (Maclura pomifera) by the Comanche. The Comanche name for this plant, "etuai," includes their word for "bow," "etu." The Comanche method: Young mulberry trees “from the upland” and selected for straight grain were cut any time of year, the bark allowed to peel off, and the wood allowed to thoroughly dry. They were sanded smooth with sandstone. The wood w