........^~                                          ~^........
.......^~^                                          ^~^.......
......^~^*                                          *^~^......
.....^~^*$                                          $*^~^.....
....^~^*$§                                          §$*^~^....
...^~^*$§¶             ................             ¶§$*^~^...
..^~^*$§¶#             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.          ¶§$*^~^...
..^~^*$§¶#                                          #¶§$*^~^..
.^~^*$§¶##                                          ##¶§$*^~^.
..^~^*$§¶#                                          #¶§$*^~^..
...^~^*$§¶                                          ¶§$*^~^...
....^~^*$§                                          §$*^~^....
.....^~^*$                                          $*^~^.....