rsync - Feb 2007 - Mixed versions - which way round is best?

I am going to use rsync to back up some files from a remote system
(running BSD) to my home Linux system.

The remote BSD system has:-
    rsync  version 2.5.6  protocol version 26

My home system has:-
    rsync  version 2.6.8  protocol version 29


I have shell access on the remote system and can run cron jobs etc. so
I can run the backup from either end. I there anything to choose
between the ends?  I.e. is it better to run a new[er] rsync to an
older remote one or vice versa?

Also, while I'm about it, can rsync remove empty directories left
after using the --delete option?

-- 
Chris Green