¨^«^%§@###                                          ###@§%^«^¨
¨^«^%@####                                          ####@%^«^¨
¨¨¨¨^^%§@#                                          #@§%^^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨«^^%@#                                          #@%^^«¨¨¨¨
¨^«^%§@###                                          ###@§%^«^¨
¨^«^%§@###             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ###@§%^«^¨
¨¨¨¨¨«%§§#             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.          @§§%««^¨¨¨
¨^««««%§@#                                          #@§%««««^¨
¨^«^%§####                                          ####§%^«^¨
¨^«^%§@###                                          ###@§%^«^¨
¨^«^%§@###                                          ###@§%^«^¨
¨^«^%§@###                                          ###@§%^«^¨
¨¨¨¨^^^%@#                                          #@%^^^¨¨¨¨