¶$^«.¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨.«^$¶
###¶$^\«.¨                                          ¨.«\^$¶###
###¶#$^\«.                                          .«\^$#¶###
####$^\«.¨                                          ¨.«\^$####
##$^««.¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨.««^$##
¶##$^«¨¨¨¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨¨¨¨«^$##¶
####$^\«.¨             the alvar fields             ¨.«\^$####
¶¶$$\\\«.¨             $$$##########$$$             ¨.«\\\$$¶¶
####$^\«.¨                                          ¨.«\^$####
##¶#$^\«.¨ from   north   to   south,  thirty   odd ¨.«\^$#¶##
###¶#$^\«. kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four .«\^$#¶###
#$$\««¨¨¨¨ 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 ¨¨¨¨¨«\^^#
¶$$$^^\«.¨ plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ¨.«\^^$$$¶
##¶#$^\«.¨ earth  is  bare  in patches  as large as ¨.«\^$#¶##
###¶$^\«.¨               you and me.                ¨.«\^$¶###
##¶#$^\«.¨                                          ¨.«\^$#¶##
##$$$^\«.¨ cross it to get  to the  ocean, or don't ¨.«\^$$$##
¶$^«.¨¨¨¨¨          to stay where you are.          ¨¨¨¨¨.«^$¶
##¶#$^\«.¨                                          ¨.«\^$#¶##
#¶#$^««.¨¨                                          ¨¨.««^$#¶#
¶##^«««..¨                                          ¨..«««^##¶
####$^\«.¨                                          ¨.«\^$####
#^^\.¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨.\^^#
#¶¶#$^\«.¨                                          ¨.«\^$#¶¶#