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..««===%@@                                          @@%===««..
..«=*%&@##             ................             ##@&%*=«..
...««««=%&             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.          ##@&%*=«..
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