 He emigrated to Australia when he was about 15 years old, but later returned to Europe, studying at the Pasteur Institute of Paris, from which he obtained either a D.Sc.or a PhD on returning to Australia he worked at the Royal Park Laboratories in Melbourne, before taking up the position of Government Botanist with the Department of Agriculture in 1911.In 1917 he retired, apparently returning to his family's wine business in South Australia.