(Translated from the " Revue Horticole.")

The genus Iris, of which the species are so numerous and so common in our gardens, contains nothing more curious than the subject of this brief notice - the Susian Iris (Iris Susiana of Linnaeus). Every one knows that blue is the rarest color among the flowers of the parterre, and all that boast any of the beautiful shades of that beautiful color are particularly prized: but black is still more rare. The flowers commonly called black, such as certain Dahlias, Hollyhocks, etc, are only very dark shades of purple, violet, or some other color; but the flower of the Susian Iris is really black, with a faint tint of brownish violet, and fully justifies the name of Mourning Iris, that has been bestowed upon it.

This uncommon color would alone make it worthy of the notice of amateurs and. gardeners, but the interest is greatly increased by the elegance of its form and the extraordinary dimensions of the flower. The smallness of our pages will only admit a figure two-thirds of the natural size.

It claims not to be a new flower, but is, according to Linnaeus, a native of the west of Persia, and was brought from Constantinople to Holland about the year 1596. It is now seldom found in our gardens, yet we must think it better worth the care of lovers of curious and beautiful flowers than many novelties that have only the equivocal merit of their rarity and recent introduction. Moreover, we believe that a careful search among the plants that were cultivated in the "olden times," and long since given up, would be rewarded by finding a large number that deserve to be rescued from oblivion.

The genus Iris is too well known to need a detailed description, and a glance at our figure will give a very good idea of its appearance: there is nothing uncommon about the leaves, and it is easily known by its solitary flower. Of the six geat divisions of the perianth, the three outside are reflexed, and the three inside are bent inwards, having on a black ground a number of white stripes beautifully arranged. The three outside petals are very black at the base, and are bearded on the inside like the German Iris. The seed rarely ripens with us, and it is chiefly propagated by parting the roots. We have found it quite hardy, yet we think it safest to cover the roots carefully in winter to guard against severe frosts.

The specimen from which our drawing was made, bloomed in the garden of the Faculte de Medecine in May. The specific name Susiana, given by Linnaeus, is not, as one might suppose, from the city of Susa, in Italy, but from the old Suza, a city celebrated in the history of ancient Persia.