in its general signification, denotes whatever the earth produces for the nourishment and support of animals. These may be divided into herbs, grain, pulse, hay, corn, and flax, and consist of every thing which the Latins expressed under the name *fruges*.

in **Natural History**, denotes the last production of a tree or plant, for the propagation or multiplication of its kind; in which sense fruit includes all kinds of seeds, with their furniture.

in **Botany**, is properly that part of a plant wherein the seed is contained; it is called by the Latins *fructus*, and by the Greeks *σπέρμα*. The fruit in the Linnean system is one of the parts of fructification, and is distinguished into three parts, viz. the pericarpium, seed, and receptacle or *receptaculum seminum*.

**FRUITS**, with regard to commerce, are distinguished into **recent**, **fresh**, and **dry**.

**Recent Fruits** are those sold just as they are gathered from the tree, without any farther preparation; in which state most of the productions of our gardens and orchards are sold by fruiturers.

**Dry Fruits** are those dried in the sun, or by the fire, with other ingredients sometimes added to them to preserve them from decay. They are imported chiefly from foreign countries, and consist of raisins, currants, figs, capers, olives, cloves, nutmegs, pepper, and other spices.

Under the denomination of dry fruits are also frequently included apples, pears, almonds, filberts, &c.

**FRUIT-FLIES**, a name given to a species of small black flies found in vast numbers among fruit-trees in the spring season, and supposed to do great injury to them.