...,«=^%¤#                                          #¤%^=«,...
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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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