In several talks which Rev. Crath gave during the convention, he described his trips and findings in the walnut-producing sections of the Polish Carpathians.  The subject remained in prominence during the three days of the convention and the idea was suggested that the Association sponsor another trip to Europe to obtain walnuts growing there which Rev. Crath considered even hardier and finer than the ones he had.  The plan was tabled, however, for only two of us were eager to contribute to the venture.

On my return home, I thought more about what a splendid opportunity this would be to procure hardy English walnuts to grow in this part of the country.  I interested my father in the idea, and, with his backing, corresponded with Rev. Crath.  This was not the first or the last time that my father, Charles Weschcke, had encouraged me and had backed his good wishes and advice with money.  A professional man and a graduate of pharmacy and chemistry of the University of Wisconsin, he showed an unusual interest in my horticultural endeavors.  The immediate outcome was Rev. Crath’s visit to my nursery at River Falls, to determine whether material that he might collect could be properly tested there.  To my satisfaction, he found that temperature, soil conditions and stock material were adequate for such work.

We contracted with Rev. Crath to reproduce asexually all the varieties that he could discover and ship to us, agreeing to finance his trip and to pay him a royalty whenever we sold trees resulting from the plant material he sent us.  We decided that the material which he was to gather should include not only English walnuts but also the hazels or filberts native to Poland.  The walnuts were to consist of about six hundred pounds of seeds, representing some forty varieties, several thousand scions and about five hundred trees.  We planned that the filberts should consist of both trees and nuts, but because of a total failure of this crop the year that Rev. Crath was there, only trees were available.

Rev. Crath left Canada in October 1936, and spent all of the following winter in Poland.  While he was there, I began the task of arranging for the receipt of the walnuts and hazels he was to send, and so began a wearisome, exasperating experience.  First, it was necessary to obtain permits from the Bureau of Plant Industry in Washington.  Because of the vast quantity of material expected, these permits had to be issued in the names of five people.  Next, I engaged a New York firm of importers, so that no time would be lost in re-routing the shipment to the proper authorities for inspection.  This firm, in turn, hired brokers who were responsible for paying all duty, freight and inspection charges.  I certainly thought that we had everything in such readiness that there would be nothing to delay the shipment when it arrived.  How wrong I was!