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¨¨^~†^%###             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ###%^†~^¨¨
¨^~†^%####             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ####%^†~^¨
¨¨^~†^%###             %%%##########%%%             ###%^†~^¨¨
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¨¨^~†^%### 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.               ####%^†~^¨
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¨^~†^%#### CROSS  IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN,  OR DON'T ####%^†~^¨
¨¨^~†^%###          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ###%^†~^¨¨
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