Franklin Cross, age 9, of Asbury Park, N.J., for his question:

IS A TOMATO A FRUIT OR A VEGETABLE?

Botanists consider the tomato a fruit even though many people think of it as a vegetable since it is generally used as one.

No other garden product has as many uses as the tomato. The tomato is a fruit that is one of the best sources of vitamins A and C. The red, round, smooth fruit is a favorite in salads as well as in many prepared foods.

The tomato is also the leading crop among those canned in the United States. It is one of the most important market garden, truck farm and greenhouse food crops.

Fruits to be shipped long distances are picked just as they begin to turn pink. Cannery tomatoes and soup tomatoes must not be picked until the fruits are fully ripened.