###§@*:«,¨                                          ¨,«:*@§###
###§@*:«,¨                                          ¨,«:*@§###
###§@*:«,¨                                          ¨,«:*@§###
####@*:«,¨                                          ¨,«:*@####
###§@*:«,¨                                          ¨,«:*@§###
#§§@@*:«,¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨,«:*@@§§#
##@:««¨¨¨¨             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.          ¨,«:*@####
#§@**«¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨«**@§#
#@*:,,¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨,,:*@#
###§@*:«,¨                                          ¨,«:*@§###
§**:,,¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨,,:**§
§§@*««¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨««*@§§
##§@@*:«,¨                                          ¨,«:*@@§##