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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.             #¤*****«-.
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.-«*§¤¤### 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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