#%†=«^¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨^«=†%#
##%†=«^¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨^«=†%##
###%†=«^¨¨                                          ¨¨^«=†%###
####%†=«^¨                                          ¨^«=†%####
###%†=«^¨¨                                          ¨¨^«=†%###
##%†=«^¨¨¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨¨¨^«=†%##
#%†=«^¨¨¨¨             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.          ¨¨¨¨¨^«=†%
†=«^¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«=†
=«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«=
«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«
=«^¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨^«=
†=«^¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨^«=†
%†=«^¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨^«=†%