.......^==                                          ==^.......
........^=                                          =^........
.........^                                          ^.........
..........                                          ..........
.........^                                          ^.........
........^=             ................             =^........
.......^==             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 $==^......
.......^==                YOU AND ME.               ==^.......
........^=                                          =^........
.........^ CROSS IT  TO GET TO THE OCEAN,  OR DON'T ^.........
..........          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ..........
.........^                                          ^.........
........^=                                          =^........
.......^==                                          ==^.......
......^==$                                          $==^......
.....^==$*                                          *$==^.....
....^==$*¤                                          ¤*$==^....