On Thursday, March 13, 2003, at 06:13  AM, Jeffrey J Schaefer wrote:

> i believe the best way to tell the difference between fruit and
> vegetable
> is that all vegetables need to be replanted every year with the
> exception
> of asparagus and rhubarb.
>

Technically fruits and vegetables are different parts of the plant.
Fruits contain a seed, vegetables are the "vegetative" parts of the
plants. So the leaves of an apple tree are vegetable, and the apple is
fruit.

Berries are simply one kind of fruit, compound fruits, or many small
fruits contained in one package.

These words have common meanings that developed with the language, and
more narrow scientific meanings devised later. Whichever you use is not
wrong, depending on the circumstances. So, a tomato is a fruit to a
scientist, but a vegetable to a cook. No problem. Bell peppers,
egg-plant, tomato,  squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, are all fruits to the
scientist.