##@&¤%†~^,                                          ,^~†%¤&@##
###@&¤%†~^                                          ^~†%¤&@###
##@&¤%†~^,                                          ,^~†%¤&@##
#@&¤%†~^,,                                          ,,^~†%¤&@#
@&¤%†~^,,,                                          ,,,^~†%¤&@
&¤%†~^,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,^~†%¤&
¤%†~^,,,,,             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.          ,,,,^~†%¤&
@&¤%†~^,,,                                          ,,,^~†%¤&@
#@&¤%†~^,,                                          ,,^~†%¤&@#
##@&¤%†~^,                                          ,^~†%¤&@##
###@&¤%†~^                                          ^~†%¤&@###
##@&¤%†~^,                                          ,^~†%¤&@##
#@&¤%†~^,,                                          ,,^~†%¤&@#