«:........                                          ........:«
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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.          .........:
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^«:.......                                          .......:«^