#%*««,,,,,                                          ,,,,,««*%#
##*««,,,,,                                          ,,,,,««*##
##@#%*^«,,                                          ,,«^*%#@##
@@##%*^«,,                                          ,,«^*%##@@
##@#%*^«,,                                          ,,«^*%#@##
#%%*«,,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,,«*%%#
##@#%*^«,,             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.          ,,,,,«**#@
##@#%*^«,,                                          ,,«^*%#@##
@@@#%*^«,,                                          ,,«^*%#@@@
@##**«,,,,                                          ,,,,«**##@
@##*^«««,,                                          ,,«««^*##@
##%*^«,,,,                                          ,,,,«^*%##
##@#%*^«,,                                          ,,«^*%#@##