George Washington Carver Inventions

George Washington Carver Inventions developed techniques to improve soils depleted by repeated plantings of cotton.

Together with other agricultural experts, he urged farmers to restore nitrogen to their soils by practicing systematic crop rotation. He stressed on alternating cotton crops with plantings of sweet potatoes or legumes (peanuts, soybeans and cowpeas).

These crops both restored nitrogen to the soil and were good for human consumption. Following the crop rotation practice resulted in improved cotton yields and gave farmers alternative cash crops.

To train farmers to successfully rotate and cultivate the new crops, Carver developed an agricultural extension program for Alabama.

He taught methods of crop rotation, introduced several alternative cash crops for farmers that would also improve the soil of areas. Carver initiated research into crop products (chemurgy), and taught generations of black students farming techniques for self-sufficiency.

He wanted poor farmers to grow alternative crops, such as peanuts and sweet potatoes, as a source of their own food and to improve their quality of life.

George Washington Carver Inventions – Later Life

The most popular of his 44 practical bulletins for farmers contained 105 food recipes using peanuts.

Although George Washington Carver Inventions includes developing and promoting numerous products made from peanuts, none became commercially successful. Apart from his work to improve the lives of farmers, Carver was also a leader in promoting environmentalism.

Although he only published six agricultural bulletins after 1922, he published articles in peanut industry journals. He also wrote a syndicated newspaper column, “Professor Carver’s Advice”.

Business leaders came to seek his help, and he often responded with free advice. Three American presidents—Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Roosevelt—met with him, and the Crown Prince of Sweden studied with him for three weeks.