After finishing his studies in 1865 he travelled to the Philippines to work as a forest inspector. In 1871 and 1876 he created the Commission of Flora and Forestry Statistics, of which he was named the head whilst also working as the director of the Botanic Gardens of Manila (1878-1889). He was an eminent botanist and wrote various pieces of work about the flora of the Philippineswhich contrasted with collections around the rest of the world.