**^~-.....                                          .....-~^**
*^~-......                                          ......-~^*
^~-.......                                          .......-~^
~-........                                          ........-~
^~-.......                                          .......-~^
*^~-......             ................             ......-~^*
**^~-.....             THE ALVAR FIELDS             .....-~^**
¶**^~-....             ***##########***             ....-~^**¶
#¶**^~-...                                          ...-~^**¶#
##¶**^~-.. FROM   NORTH   TO  SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD ..-~^**¶##
###¶**^~-. KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR .-~^**¶###
##¶**^~-.. THOUSAND METERS.  FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, ..-~^**¶##
#¶**^~-... A FOOT OR TWO.  NO ROOTS CAN FESTER,  NO ...-~^**¶#
¶**^~-....             DUST CAN LINGER.             ....-~^**¶
**^~-.....                                          .....-~^**
*^~-...... HERE  IS  EARTH,  CLAY,  AND STURDY  LOW ......-~^*
^~-....... PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE .......-~^
~-........ EARTH  IS BARE  IN  PATCHES AS  LARGE AS ........-~
^~-.......                YOU AND ME.               .......-~^
*^~-......                                          ......-~^*
**^~-..... CROSS  IT  TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T .....-~^**
¶**^~-....          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ....-~^**¶
#¶**^~-...                                          ...-~^**¶#
##¶**^~-..                                          ..-~^**¶##
###¶**^~-.                                          .-~^**¶###
##¶**^~-..                                          ..-~^**¶##
#¶**^~-...                                          ...-~^**¶#
¶**^~-....                                          ....-~^**¶