,&&,&,,&&,                                          ,,,&,,,,&,
&,&&&,&,&&                                          ,,&&,,,&&,
&&,,&&&&,,                                          ,&,&,,&,&&
,&,&,,,&,,                                          &&&&,&&&,,
&&&&,,&&,,                                          ,,,&&,,&,,
,,,&,&,&,&             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,&,&,&&,&
,,&&&&&&&&             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.          ,&&&&&,&&,
,&&,&&&,&&                                          &,,,,&&,&,
&,&&,,&&,&                                          &,,,&,&&&,
&&,&,&,&&&                                          &,,&&&,,&&
,&&&&&&,,&                                          &,&,,&,&,,
&,,,,,&,&,                                          &&&,&&&&,,
&,,,,&&&&&                                          ,,&&,,,&,&