.-«/$$§@##                                          ##@§$$/«-.
.....-««$§                                          §$««-.....
.-«/$$§@##                                          ##@§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§@##                                          ##@§$$/«-.
....«««$§@                                          @§$«««....
.....-«/$@             ................             @$/«-.....
.-«/$$§@##             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ##@§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§@##             $$$##########$$$             ##@§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§§§§                                          §§§§$$/«-.
.«/$$§@### FROM  NORTH   TO   SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD ###@§$$/«.
.-«/$$§@## KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ##@§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§@## THOUSAND METERS.  FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, ##@§$$/«-.
.......«$§ A  FOOT OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN  FESTER, NO §$«.......
.-«/$$§@##             DUST CAN LINGER.             ##@§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§@##                                          ##@§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§@## HERE  IS EARTH,  CLAY,  AND  STURDY  LOW ##@§$$/«-.
.....-/$$§ PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE §$$/-.....
.-«/$$§@## EARTH IS BARE  IN PATCHES  AS  LARGE  AS ##@§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§§@#               YOU AND ME.                #@§§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§@##                                          ##@§$$/«-.
.-«//$$$§§ CROSS IT  TO GET TO THE  OCEAN, OR DON'T §§$$$//«-.
.-«/$$§@##          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ##@§$$/«-.
.....«$$§@                                          @§$$«.....
....--/$$§                                          §$$/--....
.-«/$$§@@@                                          @@@§$$/«-.
.-«/$$§@##                                          ##@§$$/«-.
.....-«$§@                                          @§$«-.....
....-/$$$@                                          @$$$/-....