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..~††††%##             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ##%††††~..
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..~†%%#### 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.             ####%%†~..
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..~†%%#### 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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