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