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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.               .........^
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.......... CROSS IT TO GET TO THE  OCEAN, OR  DON'T ..........
..........          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ..........
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