§$/,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,/$§
####§$/«,,                                          ,,«/$§####
####§$%«,,                                          ,,«%$§####
###§$%/«,,                                          ,,«/%$§###
#§$%«,,,,,                                          ,,,,,«%$§#
#$$$$%/«,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,«/%$$$$#
###§$%/«,,             the alvar fields             ,,«/%$§###
###§$%/«,,             $$$##########$$$             ,,«/%$§###
§§$%%«««,,                                          ,,«««%%$§§
#$/««,,,,, from  north   to   south,   thirty   odd ,,,,,««/$#
##$$%//«,, 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.          ,,,,,,,«%§
####$%/«,,                                          ,,«/%$####
###§$%/«,,                                          ,,«/%$§###
§%«,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,«%§
###§$%/«,,                                          ,,«/%$§###
###§$%/«,,                                          ,,«/%$§###
###§$%/«,,                                          ,,«/%$§###