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....~~%%*@             ................             @*%%~~....
.......~%¤             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.             @@@¤*%/~..
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......~~%¤ 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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