From Microtomy Artifacts: Causes and Corrections, continued. ""Parched earth," tears, separations, fissures: Cracks in tissue like a desert; tissue elements have separated and fractured"
"Parched earth artefact, then, is just the poor quality fixation obtained with ethanol, exaggerated by applying it warm to speed up dehydration." Source:
http://stainsfile.info/prepare/fix/agents/artefactdef.htm