#@@@§^†-,,                                          ,,-†^§@@@#
#@#@§^†-,,                                          ,,-†^§@#@#
@@§†-,,,,,                                          ,,,,,-†§@@
@##@§^†-,,                                          ,,-†^§@##@
#@#@§^†-,,                                          ,,-†^§@#@#
###@§^†-,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,-†^§@###
#@#@§^†-,,             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.          ,,,,--^^@@
@@@^^^†-,,                                          ,,-†^^^@@@
#@#@§^†-,,                                          ,,-†^§@#@#
@§§†--,,,,                                          ,,,,--†§§@
#@^^†,,,,,                                          ,,,,,†^^@#
@§†-----,,                                          ,,-----†§@
###@§^†-,,                                          ,,-†^§@###