Dictionary Marketing

* I read with great interest the article written by Janny Scott about marketing of dictionaries (“Publicity Wars Rage Unabridged,” May 25).

The use of unorthodox methods of marketing of dictionaries, however, is not a recent development. There is a tract of real estate in rural San Diego County called Dictionary Hill. At the turn of the century, some enterprising dictionary vendors spurred interest in their products by giving away a parcel of land in this tract with every dictionary sold. This marketing device is how the tract acquired its name.

The purchasers of the dictionaries did not reap a windfall in the escalation of land values in Southern California, however. The tract is situated on extremely craggy terrain, and is unsuitable for any use. The land is worth next to nothing.

PETER HOLZER

Tustin