The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-06-25
ROMANTIC HOME Of FRANCO
PRUSS|AN WAR VETERAN

We are indebted to the secretary Of
the Board Of Trade for the following
interesting story:
One of the most interesting and rO-
mantle places in Florida is that Of
Sebastian Lahmann, a veteran Of the
Franco Prussian war Of 1870, whose
home, on top of one OF the hills which
rise w, from the southern shore Of
Lake Weir, is surrounded by many
kinds of fruit and nut trees and
towering shrubs, and is in the
midst of a large vineyard in which
grow thjrty-eight varieties Of grapes.
The trees include the apple and the
olive. The vineyard on the hillsides
reminds one Of France, and the fact
that il is the home Of a soldier OF
France adds to the illusion.
Sebastian Lehmann is an Alsacian,
born in Belfort, which be very proud
ly speaks of as being the most strong
ly fortified city in the world He
came to the United States in 1878, and
has lived in his home on the south
shore of Lake Weir for tbirty-one
years. The home had been that Of his
wife's brother, who started the vine
yard thirty-seven years ago. BY trade
Sebastian Lehman is a watch maker
and gun smith, and his work shop is
most interesting place. He has in
it wonderful collection Of fire arms,
including the rifle, with its long, curv-
ed bayonet, with which he fought in
the war of 1870. There is flint lock,
an ancient piece from Bremen, and an
old piece which had been the weapon
used by a famous British explorer
and fired by means CT air pumped int5
the stock. A number of cid swords
and Cuban machete hang On the
walls.
Between the work snop and the
home is the wine cellar. All CT the
buildings are almost hidden by the
fruit trees which surround them. The
wine cellar, OF course, is now in dis
use, because of the new law of the
land. Before the day of prohibition,
Mr.. Lehman pressed many excellent
wines from his grapes and one de-
tects note of sadness and regret
behind the smile which accompanies
his reference to former days.
Mr. Lehmann's vineyards are proof
that grapes can be grown successful
ly in Florida. Of the thirty eight va
rieties in the vineyard, Mr.. Lehman
says that the Dogers No. has given
the best results. The punches weigh
as much as pound or more. About
ten years ago, Mr. Lehman dug up
a wild grape vine growing near Leyon
in the southern part of the county,
and transplanted it near his work
shop. 1t now covers a large arbor
and bears heavily every year 1t is
bunch grape and has greatly improv-
ed in size and quality under the care
Of Mr.. Lehman, and while it is not
good grape for eating purposes, it
makes excellent wine and delicious
jellles. The fruit and nut trees sur
rounding the home includes peaches,
pears, pomegranites, guavas, oranges,
grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, To-
quats, Japanse persimmons, plums,
figs, mulberries, an olive, pecans.
chlnkepins and chestnuts. The apple
trees are grated on May haws and
have been bearing every year for
twenty years. Some of the fruit when
matured measures four inches in di,
ameter. The pear trees are also
grated on May haws and Mr.. Leh-
mann has four varieties, one variety
which he has developed himself.
There are two varieties of figs. There
is large sassafras buh near the
houe. just at present the pungent
odor CT star jessamine fills the air
around the place and there are other
flowers and shrubs in bloom. The
olive tree, twenty-four year old, bore
fruit for the first time last year
The Lehman pace is evidence
enough of the wonderful home-making
and landscape possibilities Of this
section OF Florida. The soil on which
all of these things are grown is that
of high pine land with clay subsoil.
There are other most interesting plac>
es on the southern shore of the Lake,
notably the Albertson place.
Until recently, Mrs. Lehman had a
pet alligator on the place. The gator
measured six feet, seven inches, and
so much Of pet was he and so do
mesticated that on one occasion, the
gate of his yard being left open, he
entered the house, climbed the stairs
to the second story and got into bed.
The other day the gator disappear
ed ard has not been seen since.