¨.«/§$####                                          ####$§/«.¨
¨.«/§$####                                          ####$§/«.¨
¨.«/§$####                                          ####$§/«.¨
¨¨¨¨¨.«§$#                                          #$§«.¨¨¨¨¨
¨./§$#####                                          #####$§/.¨
¨.«/§$####             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ####$§/«.¨
¨.«/§$####             the alvar fields             ####$§/«.¨
¨.«/§$####             $$$##########$$$             ####$§/«.¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨«§#                                          #§«¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨.«/§$#### 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.          #$//.¨¨¨¨¨
¨.«/§$####                                          ####$§/«.¨
¨.«««/§§$#                                          #$§§/«««.¨
¨.«/§$####                                          ####$§/«.¨
¨.«/§$####                                          ####$§/«.¨
¨.«/§$####                                          ####$§/«.¨
¨.«/§$$$$#                                          #$$$$§/«.¨