,,,~*$%###                                          ###%$*~,,,
,,~*$%####                                          ####%$*~,,
,,,~*$%###                                          ###%$*~,,,
,,,,~*$%##                                          ##%$*~,,,,
,,,~*$%###                                          ###%$*~,,,
,,~*$%####             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ####%$*~,,
,,,~*$%###             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ###%$*~,,,
,,,,~*$%##             %%%##########%%%             ##%$*~,,,,
,,,~*$%###                                          ###%$*~,,,
,,~*$%#### FROM  NORTH   TO   SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD ####%$*~,,
,,,~*$%### KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ###%$*~,,,
,,,,~*$%## THOUSAND METERS. FROM TOPSOIL  TO STONE, ##%$*~,,,,
,,,~*$%### A FOOT OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN  FESTER,  NO ###%$*~,,,
,,~*$%####             DUST CAN LINGER.             ####%$*~,,
,,,~*$%###                                          ###%$*~,,,
,,,,~*$%## HERE  IS EARTH,  CLAY,  AND  STURDY  LOW ##%$*~,,,,
,,,~*$%### PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ###%$*~,,,
,,~*$%#### EARTH  IS  BARE IN  PATCHES  AS LARGE AS ####%$*~,,
,,,~*$%###               YOU AND ME.                ###%$*~,,,
,,,,~*$%##                                          ##%$*~,,,,
,,,~*$%### CROSS IT  TO GET  TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ###%$*~,,,
,,~*$%####          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ####%$*~,,
,,,~*$%###                                          ###%$*~,,,
,,,,~*$%##                                          ##%$*~,,,,
,,,~*$%###                                          ###%$*~,,,
,,~*$%####                                          ####%$*~,,
,,,~*$%###                                          ###%$*~,,,
,,,,~*$%##                                          ##%$*~,,,,