The Southern colonies had an ideal climate for agriculture due to its long growing seasons and fertile soil from tidal minerals. The main cash crops grown were cotton, tobacco, sugar, and rice, with cotton being the most profitable. Plantations concentrated on exporting these and other crops using the many waterways for transportation. Plantations functioned like self-sufficient villages with fields, housing, and other facilities. They relied heavily on enslaved African laborers to work the fields. In contrast, the Northern colonies had poorer soil and shorter growing seasons, so focused more on industries like shipbuilding, fishing, and trading through their harbor locations.