.......~†^                                          ^†~.......
........~†                                          †~........
.........~                                          ~.........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........             ................             ..........
..........             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.          ##@§&^†~..
...~†^&§@#                                          #@§&^†~...
....~†^&§@                                          @§&^†~....
.....~†^&§                                          §&^†~.....
......~†^&                                          &^†~......
.......~†^                                          ^†~.......
........~†                                          †~........