The correct comparison of the economies of the Southern and New England colonies is:
The economy of the Southern colonies relied on growing cash crops, while the economy of the New England colonies relied on trade.
In the Southern colonies, the economy was primarily based on agriculture, with a focus on cash crops such as tobacco, rice, and indigo, which were cultivated on large plantations and often relied on enslaved labor. In contrast, the New England colonies developed a more diverse economy that included trade, fishing, shipbuilding, and small-scale agriculture, given the region's different geography and climate.