ROSACEOUS FRUITS. 



It is natural to suppose that fruit trees belonging to 

 the order Rosaceae, should be linked together by definite 

 morphological and anatomical characters, on which the 

 order has been constituted botanically as a distinct 

 entity. However, their close relationship is also clearly 

 demonstrated by other factors of great practical import- 

 ance which are within the domain of the horticulturist, 

 and force themselves upon the most casual worker in 

 his daily practice in the nursery and in the orchard. 

 The Maltese expression ^frott irkifc' has been often 

 translated into English as "small fruits" which of course 

 is not only incorrect, but misleading. The same expression 

 is still more often translated into the Italian "fmtta 

 sottili" , a strictly literal translation, now sanctioned by 

 frequent use, which happens to unite the two qualities 

 of being amusing and absurd. The local expression 

 "frott irkiK' is in allusion to the short life or weak 

 vitality (ruh irkika) of this class of trees, as compared 

 with Citrus trees and other trees of longer life and more 

 permanent nature, and has no relation to the size of the 

 tree or of the fruit. 



Leaving aside the strawberry, the blackberry and 

 the raspberry, which are included in the category of 

 "small fruits", the other rosaceous fruits may be grouped 

 into two classes, viz : the kernel -fruits and the stone- 

 fruits. 



The kernel fruits or pip fruits or pome-fruits (It = 

 frutta a porno, fruits d pepins) include the pear, the 

 apple, the quince, the medlar, the service, the hawthorn 

 and the loquat or Japanese medlar. These fruit trees 



