Poultry Dressing Recipe

After poultry is cleaned and washed inside and out with cold water,
fill inside with dressing. Have at least a yard fine twine in trussing
needle. Turn wings across back so that the pinions touch. Run needle
through thick part of wing under bone, through body and wing on other
side; return in same way, but passing needle in over bone, tie firmly,
leaving several inches of twine. Press legs up against body, run
needle through thigh, body and second thigh, return, going round bone
in same way; tie firmly. Run needle through ends of legs, return,
passing needle through rump; if opening is badly torn, one or two
stitches may be needed; or if steel skewers are used put one through
wings of fowl and other through opposite thigh. Then wind twine in
figure eight from one handle of skewer to other. Rub all over with
soft butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on rack in
roasting pan and put into very hot oven. Make basting mixture with 1/2
cup each of butter and water; keep hot and baste every 10 or 15
minutes. Roast 3 hours for 8 pound turkey, 1 to 2 hours for chicken
and ducks. Keep oven very hot. If bird is very large and heavy, cover
breasts and legs with several thicknesses of paper to keep from
burning.