No More Learning

[Sidenote: Herbs and trees first choose a convenient place to grow
in, where, agreeably to their respective natures, they are sure to
thrive, and are in no danger of perishing; for some grow on
plains, some on mountains, &c. ; and if you try to transplant them,
they forthwith wither and die. ]

? Now look
vpon ? ise herbes {and} ? ise trees. ? ei waxen firste in
swiche place as be{n} couenable to hem. in whiche place
? ei ne mowen nat sone dien ne dryen as longe as hire 2732
nature may defenden he{m}. ? For some of hem waxen
in feldes {and} some in mou{n}taignes. {and} o? ir waxen i{n}
mareis. [_A leaf lost here, and supplied from C.
_]
[{and} oothre cleuyn on Roches / {and} soume waxen plentyuos 2736
in sondes / {and} yif ? {a}t any wyht enforce hym to
beryn hem in to oother places / they wexen drye //

[Sidenote: To everything that vegetates, nature gives what is
needful for its subsistence, and takes care that they should not
perish before their time. ]

For natur{e} yeueth to eu{er}y thing ? {a}t /
? {a}t is co{n}uenient to
hym {and} trauaylith ? {a}t they ne dye nat as longe as they 2740
han power to dwellyn {and} to lyuen //

[Sidenote: Need I tell you that plants are nourished by their
roots (which are so many mouths hid in the earth), and diffuse
strength throughout the whole plant, as through their marrow? ]

what woltow seyn
of this / ? {a}t they drawen alle hyr norysshynges by hyr
rootes / ryht as they haddyn hyr Mowthes I. -plounged 2743
w{i}t{h} in the erthes / {and} shedyn by hyr maryes (i. medull{as})
hyr wode {and} hyr bark /

[Sidenote: And further, it is admirably contrived that the pith,
the most tender part of plants, is hid in the middle of the trunk,
surrounded with hard and solid wood, and with an outer coat of
bark to ward off the storms and weather. ]

{and} what woltow seyn
of this ? {a}t thilke thing / ? {a}t is ryht softe as the marye (i.
sapp) is / ? {a}t is alwey hidd in the feete al w{i}t{h} inne {and}
? {a}t it is defendid fro w{i}t{h} owte by the stidefastnesse of 2748
wode // {and} ?