John Pope, age 11, of Allentown, Pa., for his question:

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE?

California heads the list of leading vegetable growing states in the United States, with 13.8 million tons produced each year. Rounding out the top five vegetable growing states are Illinois, Iowa, Idaho and Indiana. On the fruit growing scale, California again takes top honors with Florida, Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Oregon, New Jersey and Arizona placing high.

From a scientific point, fruit refers to the seeds of a plant, together with the parts in which it is enclosed. Vegetable generally refers to the foods we obtain from the leaves, stems, flower clusters, roots or tubers of plants.

The botanist will tell you that all plants, including vegetables, produce fruits. However, it has been accepted to refer to fruits as those crops grown on trees, shrubs, vines and fleshy stemmed plants, with the trees and plants living and producing fruit for a number of years.

Cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, squashes, tomatoes and string beans  all of which are commonly called vegetables  are technically fruits. So sum it up this way: fruits are juicy, fleshy, pulpy tissue that are not usually eaten as part of themeal's main course, while vegetables    refer to those

plants that are served with the main     course.

With our recent expanded understanding of the importance of nutrition, we know that it is vital to include both fruit and vegetables in our everyday diet.

Some vegetables are important because of their leaves or stems. Included here are cabbage, lettuce, spinach, parsley, asparagus and rhubarb. Vegetables having roots or underground stems and leaves include onions, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets and carrots. The seeds of other vegetables are important in our diet: sweet corn, peas, soybeans and beans.

In general, fruit falls into three classes: tropical, which includes bananas and pineapples; subtropical, which includes avocados and citrus fruits; temperate zone, which includes a tremendous number ranging from apples to grapes. Listed with the temperate zone fruits are all of the berries including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, currants, gooseberries and blueberries and also the important tree crops of apricots, cherries, peaches, pears and plums.

Here are some interesting fruit and vegetable facts: Did you know that citrus fruits are really large, pulpy berries with thick, oil bearing rinds?

Dieters love vegetables. For the most part they are very low in caloric value. At the same time they are rich in vitamins and minerals.