.,«:*%&###                                          ###&%*:«,.
.,«:%&####                                          ####&%:«,.
....«::*&&                                          &&*::«....
....,,:%&#                                          #&%:,,....
.,«:*%&###                                          ###&%*:«,.
......«:%&             ................             &%:«......
....«::%&&             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.          &%%:«,....
.,«:*%&###                                          ###&%*:«,.
.......«*&                                          &*«.......
...,«**&##                                          ##&**«,...
.,«:*%&###                                          ###&%*:«,.
.,«:**%%&#                                          #&%%**:«,.
....,,:*&#                                          #&*:,,....