Today in PH History

Garcia was with the Manila Botanical Garden, in one or another capacity, since the inception of that institution in 1858, and with the Spanish Forestry Bureau from 1877 to 1898.

In May 1900, he took charge of all work of botanical nature as botanist in the Forestry Bureau of the American Civil Service.

Garcia, also a printing instructor at the University of the Philippines, was also noted for being one of the botanical illustrators. He produced plates for Francisco Manuel Blanco’s Flora de Filipinas, the illustrated version of which was published in Manila between 1877 and 1883.

During the Filipino-American war, he resigned from his job and enlisted in the Philippine Army. Appointed colonel in the engineering corps, Garcia helped supervise the construction of fortification and defense works along the Pampanga River, near Calumpit, Bulacan, and other points.

Garcia died on July 6, 1916 at the age 75.

Reference: Philippines News Agency archives

Source: Kahimyang Project