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#*%*:.....             ................             .....:*%*#
##***::...             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ...::***##
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#**%-..... 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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