a province in the duchy of Piedmont, in the continental Sardinian dominions. It is a fine plain of 866 square miles, or 234,240 acres, producing abundant harvests of corn, wine, fruits, oil, and truffles; besides the best silk. The cattle are not numerous. There are no mines, but quarries of marble, slate, and rock-salt. The inhabitants amount to 94,965, living in 2 cities and 75 towns and villages. There is scarcely any demand for labour, but that which the agriculture requires.

a city of Italy, capital of the province of the same name, in Piedmont. It is situated on the river Tanaro, between Asti and Chevasso; is the seat of a bishop, and contains, besides the cathedral, six churches and seven religious establishments for the two sexes of ecclesiastics. The population is 6990 persons. Long. 8. 3. E. Lat. 44. 36. N.

ALBA Firma, or Album, in our old customs, denoted rent paid in silver, and not in corn, which was called black mail.

ALBA Terra, one of the numerous names for the philosopher's stone.

ALBA Longa, in Ancient Geography, a colony from Latium, in Latium, 15 miles south-east from Rome, established by Ascanius, the son of Aeneas, at the foot of the Mons Albanus. It was called Alba, from a white sow found by Aeneas, which farrowed 30 white pigs on that spot; which circumstance was interpreted to portend the building of a city there in 50 years after (Propertius). The epithet Longa was added on account of its length. It was the royal residence till the building of Rome; as was foretold by Anchises (Virgil); was destroyed by Titus Hostilius, all but the fane or temple; and the inhabitants were transplanted to Rome (Strabo).