Editing Middle Colonies (section)

==Geography==
The [[Wisconsinian glaciation|partly unglaciated]] Middle Colonies enjoyed fertile soil vastly different from the nearby [[New England Colonies]], which contained more rocky soil.  Because of the large grain exports resulting from this soil, the colonies came to be known as the Bread Basket Colonies. Pennsylvania became a leading exporter of wheat, corn, [[rye]], [[hemp]], and [[flax]],<ref name=PHMC/> making it the leading food producer in the colonies, and later states, between the years of 1725 and 1840.<ref>Ebeling (1979)</ref>  Broad navigable rivers of relaxed current like the [[Susquehanna River]], the [[Delaware River]], and the [[Hudson River]] attracted diverse business. Fur trappers moved along these rivers, and there was enough flow to enable milling with [[water wheel]] power.