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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.             ###$*=«~¨¨
¨~«=*$####                                          ####$*=«~¨
¨¨~«=*$### 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.          ###$*=«~¨¨
¨~«=*$####                                          ####$*=«~¨
¨¨~«=*$###                                          ###$*=«~¨¨
¨~«=*$####                                          ####$*=«~¨
¨¨~«=*$###                                          ###$*=«~¨¨
¨~«=*$####                                          ####$*=«~¨
¨¨~«=*$###                                          ###$*=«~¨¨