As briefly stated in a previous issue of THE PRAIRIE FARMER, the Illinois State Board of Agriculture offers a premium of $100 for the best bushel of corn (in ear) grown this year in the northern division of the State, and $50 for the second best bushel: and a like premium for the best and second best bushel grown in the central and southern divisions. These divisions correspond with the three judicial divisions of the State. The following are the conditions: Each of the parties awarded the first premium to deliver twenty-five bushels, and each of the parties awarded the second premium to deliver fifteen bushels of corn in the ear in sacks to the State Board of Agriculture at Springfield, Ill. The corn delivered to be equal in quality to the samples awarded the respective premiums. The premiums to be paid when the premium bushels of corn and the amounts called for are compared at the rooms of the Department of Agriculture and favorably reported upon by the committee. Affidavit as to measurement of land and yield of corn are required. We suppose also that competitors are to furnish characteristics of soil, variety of seed, kinds of manure used, mode of cultivation etc., as these facts would seem to be necessary if the public is to receive the full benefits of the experiments the premiums are likely to bring out. It is understood that the corn delivered to the State Board as per above conditions is to be in some judicious manner distributed to the corn-growers of the State for planting in 1885. THE FIRST UNFORTUNATE RESULT. There recently began in Scotland an earnest movement to induce the British Government to remove the restrictions regarding the importation of American cattle, so far at least as to allow the admission of store cattle for feeding purposes. Meetings have been held in various parts of Scotland at which petitions like the following were adopted. To the Right Honorable William Ewart Gladstone. We, the undersigned, farmers and others, respectfully submit that the present law which allows the importation of cattle from the United States, and shuts out store cattle, is unjust and oppressive to the farmers of this country, and enhances the price of meat to the public. We therefore crave that her Majesty's Government would open the Scottish ports to the introduction of store cattle from the Western States where disease does not exist.