16 MONOGRAPHY OF THE GENUS CAMELLIA. 



The more extensive details are contained in the monography attached to 

 this work; but to understand these tables, it is essential that they should here 

 be preceded, by some information, as to the means we have employed for 

 establishing the names of the different shades of color, which are generally 

 exhibited in the flower of the Camellia. 



Our first effort has been directed, to ascertain, what were the relations, 

 which existed between the different shades of the artificial red color, with 

 which different kinds of silk and woollen manufactures are dyed, and be- 

 tween the natural shades of the same red, which the flowers of the Camellia 

 present, in order to apply the same denominations to the latter, which the 

 artists have given to the former j but, notwithstanding our assiduous re- 

 searches, to discover whether there was any resemblance between these two 

 kinds of colors, we at last thought, that we should have recourse to the 

 painter, who, alone, can seize and imitate the various tones of color, which 

 are so richly displayed by nature; and this thought became a resolution; 

 which was immediately carried into effect. A very able painter, surrounded 

 by the natural samples, which our collection of Camellias abundantly fur- 

 nished, was employed, as various times, to imitate these colors on paper, and 

 to establish, in precise terms, the specific names of the coloring materials, 

 which he employed, to compose each specimen, in the painted representa- 

 tions. 



This labor having been accomplished, we considered it necessary that 

 the result should be submitted to the examination of Mr. Chevreul, one of 

 the most distinguished men in France, — the director of the royal establish- 

 ment of tapestry at Gobelins, and professor of chemistry in the Museum of 

 Natural History. Mr. Chevreul explained, in his peculiarly lucid and kind 

 manner, all the ramifications of his system of colors, which has been ably 

 developed in a scientific work, that the author will soon publish. 



The examination of the system of Mr. Chevreul, has been of infinite 

 service to us, in simplifying our labor, and has induced us to divide our colors 

 into two series, called gamuts, containing all the tones and shades, which dis- 

 tinguish the varieties of the Camellia. 



We shall develop this attempt for the classification of the varieties of the 

 Camellia, by their colors, after having described the modes of culture and 

 multiplication. 



