....^«;%%#                                          #%%;«^....
.....^«;%%                                          %%;«^.....
......^«;%                                          %;«^......
.......^«;                                          ;«^.......
........^«                                          «^........
.......^«;             ................             ;«^.......
......^«;%             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.          %%;«^.....
....^«;%%#                                          #%%;«^....
...^«;%%##                                          ##%%;«^...
..^«;%%###                                          ###%%;«^..
.^«;%%####                                          ####%%;«^.
..^«;%%###                                          ###%%;«^..
...^«;%%##                                          ##%%;«^...