HARLINGEN — People often refer to George Washington Carver as the “Peanut Man” because of his research into the many uses of peanuts.
However, Carver’s re-search extended far beyond peanuts. After earning his master’s degree in agriculture from Iowa State College in 1896, he went on to work for the agricultural department at the Tuskegee Institute. He gave presentations on using native clays for paints, increasing soil fertility without commercial fertilizers, and growing alternative crops along with cotton.
He also developed numerous uses for cow peas and sweet potatoes. He was especially interested in peanuts because they could serve as an inexpensive source of protein that would not deplete the soil as much as cotton.
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