@$§†~.....                                          .....~†§$@
$§†~......                                          ......~†§$
§†~.......                                          .......~†§
†~........                                          ........~†
~.........                                          .........~
..........             ................             ..........
..........             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.                .......~†§
$§†~......                                          ......~†§$
@$§†~..... CROSS IT  TO GET TO  THE OCEAN, OR DON'T .....~†§$@
#@$§†~....          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ....~†§$@#
##@$§†~...                                          ...~†§$@##
###@$§†~..                                          ..~†§$@###
##@$§†~...                                          ...~†§$@##
#@$§†~....                                          ....~†§$@#
@$§†~.....                                          .....~†§$@
$§†~......                                          ......~†§$