&^:«,.....                                          .....,«:^&
^:«,......                                          ......,«:^
:«,.......                                          .......,«:
«,........                                          ........,«
,.........                                          .........,
..........             ................             ..........
..........             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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@&^:«,....                                          ....,«:^&@
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^:«,......                                          ......,«:^