So from my nursery probably went out some 10,000 trees; the weaker seedling always perished during the winter. From Mr. Corsan's nursery, another 10,000 trees—about half of these went to his son, Hebden Corsan in Michigan. Rev. Crath's nursery yielded not more than 5000. He imported a number of cherries, plums, grapes and others fruits, all of which did not do too well either.
During the period before the war, orders came in from everywhere—from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, even Newfoundland, besides nurseries in the United States. Orders from the prairie provinces were dissuaded but some customers insisted on a trial basis. Walnut seed, the first two years went mostly to Western Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia. By 1939 the seedling nursery business that I had apparently fallen into, looked good. Rev. Crath and I talked the situation over. We decided to go to the country, lease some land. I would select the land and continue to grow seedlings and besides, import selected grafts to develop in Canada a hardy high quality grafted walnut tree.
In September we prepared to make another expedition. My banker was most agreeable this time. Rev. Crath got as far as New York where, awaiting the S. S. Batory to sail, the war broke out. The S. S. Pilsudski was sunk just out of Gdynia the next day. The S. S. Batory never did sail back to Poland. When he arrived home we went to the bank on a Saturday morning. The travellers' cheques were cancelled.
Rev. Crath in the 1936 expedition brought out a shipment of walnuts selected from the most northerly port of the Ukraine for Mr. Weschcke, St. Paul, Minn. I am not familiar with this part of his work.
Rev. Crath was a cheerful soul, an interesting and pleasant individual to talk to. He loved people and, especially, meeting people. He possessed a great love for humanity; he bore malice toward no one and charity to all except the Bolsheviks. He was a restless man—"always on the go". One could see he preferred to be missionary rather than a resident minister. Although he was away a good part of the time he was dearly loved by his family.
Shortly after his death, as an appreciation of his services as a minister among Ukranian families, special memorial services were held in Toronto, Oshawa and Detroit. I was invited to attend the Toronto service.
On a visit one day last August, 1952, to places where his Carpathian walnut trees were coming into bearing, he examined them and gazed at them with a look of joy and sadness. On the way home he was somewhat upset, he looked at me and said "Mr. Devitt, my good friend, at last our experiment is a success. Promise me two things; continue our work and go to the convention and tell our American friends to continue the work."
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This is the story of the introduction of hardy Carpathian walnuts (Juglans regia) into Canada and the United States by the late Rev. Crath.
Looking back on the whole adventure (now twenty years ago) it would be only fair that I mention the names of three other men for the work they did to make the expedition a success. The late Professor James Neilson whose research in nut growing in Ontario and the United States was already well known should be mentioned. It was he who really "sparked" the expedition. To the late George H. Corsan whose nut growing experiment at Echo Valley was something unique in Ontario, credit is due for his enthusiasm and support of the late Reverend Crath. The American nut growers who were fortunate to obtain walnut seeds at the time through Wisconsin Horticultural Society can thank Mr. H. J. Rhamlow, then secretary. He took over the task of distributing the walnut seeds through the affiliated societies. He insisted that the seeds be tested for germination, kept in proper storage, and did everything possible to ensure success. However none of these men as I knew them then, and including myself, would want any credit, but we give full recognition to Reverend Crath for his work.