#£@§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§@£#
##£@§==~,,                                          ,,~==§@£##
###£@§==~,                                          ,~==§@£###
##£@§==~,,                                          ,,~==§@£##
#£@§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§@£#
£@§==~,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,~==§@£
@§==~,,,,,             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.          ,,,,~==§@£
@§==~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~==§@
£@§==~,,,,                                          ,,,,~==§@£
#£@§==~,,,                                          ,,,~==§@£#
##£@§==~,,                                          ,,~==§@£##
###£@§==~,                                          ,~==§@£###
##£@§==~,,                                          ,,~==§@£##