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¨.~*=%¤£##             the alvar fields             ##£¤%=*~.¨
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¨¨¨~~~~*%£ kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four £%*~~~~¨¨¨
¨.~*=%¤£## thousand meters. from  topsoil to stone, ##£¤%=*~.¨
¨¨¨¨.~=%££ a  foot or two. no roots  can fester, no ££%=~.¨¨¨¨
¨.~*=%¤£##             dust can linger.             ##£¤%=*~.¨
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¨.~*=%¤£## plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ##£¤%=*~.¨
¨.~*=%¤£## earth  is bare  in  patches  as large as ##£¤%=*~.¨
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¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=¤ cross it to get to the  ocean, or  don't ¤=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨.~*=%¤¤££          to stay where you are.          ££¤¤%=*~.¨
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