=^........                                          ........^=
^.........                                          .........^
..........                                          ..........
^.........                                          .........^
=^........                                          ........^=
\=^.......             ................             .......^=\
%\=^......             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.          .........^
=^........                                          ........^=
\=^.......                                          .......^=\
%\=^......                                          ......^=\%
&%\=^.....                                          .....^=\%&
&&%\=^....                                          ....^=\%&&
#&&%\=^...                                          ...^=\%&&#