Wilton-- There is a great taste for floriculture in this ancient little borough town, and the mayor, Mr. Blackmoor, is the Secretary to the Salisbury, Devizes, and several other Horticultural Societies. We were much gratified with the conversation of this gentleman, who is not only an enthusiastic horticulturist, but a man of general good taste. Mr. Flooks introduced us to several of the inhabitants of Wilton, who had neat gardens, and we found that pinks and carnations were their favourite articles of culture. The garden of Mr. Hetley deserves notice for a sunk flower-garden, surrounded by a turf terrace, the object of which is to prevent the interruption by the flowers of the views from the windows. The descent to the flower-beds is by steps of turf, such as Mr. Flooks has introduced in his own garden, and also in the new architectural flower-garden at Longford Castle. The other parts of the grounds here have some beauties, and many faults, the chief of which is formality. It would be an easy task to add variety and intricacy, and we shall, perhaps, show how this might be done on some future occasion. The garden of Mrs. ------is remarkable for a fine straight canal of running water which passes through it, the sides of which are formed of oak plank; the surface of the adjoining ground is varied by flower-beds. The walks through the other parts of the grounds are so contrived that, by walking over them certain numbers of times, the extent is a mile, half a mile, or a quarter of a mile; and against a wall, an iron strap is fixed, pierced with holes, beside which is a pin suspended by a small chain; so that the pedestrian, by moving the pin from one hole to another every time he passes by, knows exactly the extent of the walk he has been taking. Some years ago, when in very bad health, we used to do the same thing at Bayswater, but in a much smaller garden. Such exercise is by no means so beneficial as that in which the mind is engaged as well as the body; for example, in walking along a public road, or through a town, or, best of all, digging, hoeing, or watering in a garden.
