def _send(self):
        """
        Send data to graphite. Data that can not be sent will be queued.
        """
        # Check to see if we have a valid socket. If not, try to connect.
        try:
            try:
                if self.socket is None:
                    self.log.debug("GraphiteHandler: Socket is not connected. "
                                   "Reconnecting.")
                    self._connect()
                if self.socket is None:
                    self.log.debug("GraphiteHandler: Reconnect failed.")
                else:
                    # Send data to socket
                    self._send_data(''.join(self.metrics))
                    self.metrics = []
                    if self._time_to_reconnect():
                        self._close()
            except Exception:
                self._close()
                self._throttle_error("GraphiteHandler: Error sending metrics.")
                raise
        finally:
            if len(self.metrics) >= (
                    self.batch_size * self.max_backlog_multiplier):
                trim_offset = (self.batch_size *
                               self.trim_backlog_multiplier * -1)
                self.log.warn('GraphiteHandler: Trimming backlog. Removing' +
                              ' oldest %d and keeping newest %d metrics',
                              len(self.metrics) - abs(trim_offset),
                              abs(trim_offset))
                self.metrics = self.metrics[trim_offset:]

        Send data to graphite. Data that can not be sent will be queued.
        
src/diamond/handler/graphite.py