,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,
«,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,«
=«,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,«=
*=«,¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨,«=*
**=«,¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨,«=**
£**=«,¨¨¨¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨¨¨¨,«=**£
#£**=«,¨¨¨             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.          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,
«,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,«
=«,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,«=
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**=«,¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨,«=**
£**=«,¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨,«=**£